


Come and Go

by hibiscuses



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, and mentions of sistar, and your favourite eunbi, and your favourite seunghee as seungcheol's sister, i am uncreative with names, slight angst, some cameo by pledis girlz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 18:50:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8545039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hibiscuses/pseuds/hibiscuses
Summary: Jisoo leaves Seungcheol twice. And he returns twice.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the poem "When Love Arrives" by Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye.

Seungcheol and Jisoo were both five when they first exchange cheek pecks.

 

It was nothing, really, just two kids who were neighbours, playmates, staying indoors on a rainy weather and in Seungcheol’s older sister’s annoyance, was told to sit down and keep their mouths shut.

 

What they didn’t know was how they’d end up watching films of actual people instead of animals hopping about, teaching them the alphabets. Seungcheol turns to see his sister flustered, squirming over the scene on television while mumbling her wishes of receiving similar treatments.

 

_ “If anyone does this to me, I’d be so happy.”  _

 

He wants to try it out himself, if he could make someone else happy and in a moment of curiosity, he sees Jisoo and his older sister, no way he’s going to make grumpy, tattletale Seunghee happy, not today, not unless she gives him candy.

 

Maybe if he makes Jisoo happy though, he could get the toy car his parents bought him, yes, that’s it. And he leans in to peck the younger boy on the cheek, leaving the other confused.

 

“Are you happy now, Jisoo?” He asked grinning from ear to ear.

 

Jisoo knows the reference and he was confused how things like these work himself, so he does the same, “Are you?”

 

It feels funny, but not really. It’s not a kiss right, since it’s not on the lips and Seungcheol would expect it to be a girl with french braid, much like the girl with a superhero costume on Playhouse Disney every afternoon. 

 

But if it is a kiss, then it’s not that bad he gave it to Jisoo, a  _ guy _ , he guess.

 

-

 

They were eight when Jisoo’s family had to leave for America, for  _ adult matters _ , as they say. Jisoo apparently was getting a new life there and his dad would stay in Korea, just not next to Seungcheol’s house anymore.

 

Seunghee tells Seungcheol that America is a big big place, full of life and her every dream, whining about how lucky Jisoo is that he gets to go there. 

 

Despite his sister’s words, he doesn’t buy it, because Jisoo cries when he leaves in a taxi and he hugs Seungcheol for a bit too long before that.

 

Seungcheol chases the taxi on the sidewalk while waving to Jisoo until his mother carries him back in.

 

Their mothers video call each other for weeks, but they got bored of the glitches of MSN and the difficulty of setting up webcams and what not, so they stopped for a bit, losing all contacts.

 

Seungcheol moves on and forgets about Jisoo a week or two after no video calls, eventually carrying on with life.

 

-

 

Jisoo comes back and attends the same institution as Seungcheol when they were seventeen.

 

It was awkward the first two minutes but with Jisoo looking like he has problems adapting and how his eyes glinted seeing Seungcheol, they went back to where they stopped. 

 

Much to the dismay of Seungcheol’s current friends, he started sticking by Jisoo again, they were almost inseparable, yet it felt like something was missing. Maybe Jisoo wouldn’t know about the flowers blooming within Seungcheol when he falls asleep on him, or when their fingers briefly touch, or when they hug, or when Jisoo stands up in lessons looking so confident and thanking Seungcheol publicly or…

 

But so what if Seungcheol knew about them, he couldn’t fathom what they meant anyway.

 

Months after Jisoo’s return, Seungcheol tests Seunghee’s words again, a soft cheek peck in the middle of McDonalds during their study sessions. 

 

Twelve years after Seungcheol first watches a Romance Movie, he finally understands how  _ surprise cheek pecks _ makes one happy.

 

-

 

They were eighteen when they entered university, signing up to be roommates and much to Seungcheol’s dismay, dating Jisoo and living with Jisoo are much like two different worlds.

 

Habits, culture shocks and homesickness all came in between and bickers just weren’t uncommon anymore.

 

Because Seungcheol was too used to having his mother pick up his clothes he forgets that she’s some cities away and Jisoo yells at him unreasonably. They ended the argument when both of them are too tired to continue anymore and they never made up, only shoving it aside and pretending it never happened the next time they spoke. 

 

Because Jisoo stays up to contact his friends back in Los Angeles and the noise and bright lights interrupts Seungcheol in his sleep. Seungcheol slams the laptop close and forces him to sleep. Jisoo sends his friend a bye via mobile and tries to shield his crying face with a pillow. They settled it over coffee the next day.

 

Because Jisoo knows nothing about Seungcheol’s favourite athlete and they snatch for the television remote when Jisoo wants to catch the live performance of his favourite idol groups that Seungcheol knew nothing of. Because Jisoo is unappreciative and snacks on Seungcheol’s gifts like it’s from the supermarket on all-nighters. Because Seungcheol accidentally toppled the cup and destroyed his reports. Because, because.

 

-

 

Because Seungcheol brings up names of people in their arguments and it doesn’t work on Jisoo the way it’s supposed to.

 

_ “And Nayoung wouldn’t mind if I accidentally soiled her essay because she would be smart and sensible enough to save her fucking essay instead of pinning immediate blames on me.” _

 

_ “Date Nayoung then.” _

 

And Jisoo leaves the house, only coming back the next day with lunch and they both pretended nothing was wrong again.

 

Maybe they both are just avoiders of confrontation, maybe their love for one another out wins their anger and irritation. Who knows.

 

-

 

Jisoo writes him a letter before returning to Los Angeles after a week’s notice when they were twenty. 

 

Family matters, it says and Seungcheol doesn’t cry though he feels numb over it. And Jisoo dedicates a paragraph on why he loved Seungcheol and another on why they should separate from one another.

 

_ Because maybe we lose the sparks we had back then, maybe we should let each other free, I might meet someone who understands me better in L.A and maybe you might work out with Nayoung, Eunwoo or Jieqiong, who knows? If we really are meant to be, then maybe we'll meet again and give each other the second chances that we deserve. _

 

And he doesn’t cry even as the flashbacks of the time Jisoo stayed up to guide him through his Chemistry exams, ignoring his own Literature paper flashes by. Neither does he when he remembers how much Jisoo cried when he was sent to the hospital for his broken arm, and how much Jisoo inconvenienced himself to make Seungcheol comfortable. Not even when he remembers all the fragments of the littlest things that was once forgotten way too easily. Afterall, it all comes and goes.

 

They message each other on Facebook afterwards, once every two weeks, days, hours, minutes and Jisoo dates a girl named Eunbi while Seungcheol tries his luck with Nayoung. 

 

-

 

Dating Nayoung was peaceful because Nayoung isn’t a conflict seeker like Jisoo was, they don’t bicker anymore, if they do talk at all. 

 

And now Seungcheol knows about that girl from  _ Sistar  _ Jisoo talks about all the time because now her duet is topping the charts and he sings it thinking of Nayoung on the school’s talent show he won.

 

And Eunwoo doesn’t have problems with his used clothes laying around because Seungcheol now places them in the basket once he is done.

 

And he needs a nightlight to sleep because he’s not used to the pitch black, it works but he doesn’t have a replacement to the cheery laughters and inconsiderate voices that goes through the wee hours of the night. And sometimes Nayoung, or Eunwoo, screams at him to hang up the call he had on with Jisoo for five hours since eleven.

 

Jisoo still sends Seungcheol questions like  _ would Siyeon like it if I sing Loving U’s acoustic version to her?  _ And of course she would love it, because Jisoo once sings it to Seungcheol and he loves it. 

 

He eventually ends it with Jieqiong, and Jisoo ends it with Minkyung and they talk about dating someone else every two days, yet only lasting barely months.

 

They both loved those names they met along the way, yet they figure that their paths just don’t cross and their personalities don’t match. It’s a fresh feeling that comes and goes, and they long accepted that not every love lasts the same romantic way the moment they ended it off with one another.

 

-

 

Jisoo comes back on a cold winter day when they were twenty two, a scarf wrapping his neck and still looking like he was eighteen with his trademarked sweater paws.

 

Time stops at the arrival hall where they met again, Jisoo breaking a hug with his father before looking at Seungcheol. 

 

Seeing Jisoo again wasn’t the same as chatting with him on skype or Kakaotalk or Facebook, seeing Jisoo again wasn’t like chat platforms where he could procrastinate vocalising his feelings till tomorrow, tomorrow,  _ tomorrow _ until  _ tomorrow  _ becomes  _ today. _

 

Because Jisoo comes and go, and so does Seungcheol, much like Nayoung, Jieqiong, Eunwoo, Eunbi, Siyeon, Minkyung and all the names that flew past.

 

Yet, it’s in both’s might to not have each other fleet away anymore. There wasn’t a need to say anything because their last chat in Telegram was a conversation about both being single and Jisoo’s vague words of starting again. 

 

In that moment, Seungcheol doesn’t remember about the clothes on the floor, the rival football team Jisoo supports, the anime girls Jisoo is a bit too infatuated with. No, he does remember, but it’s things he will come to accept (have already accepted), and he’ll make space for disliking certain bits of Jisoo before it grows into him again. 

 

Because Jisoo bakes amazing cookies and tells Seungcheol he is beautiful after a long day at work. Because Jisoo has the gentlest laugh which was the only support in his joke attempts on gatherings. Because Jisoo swore to watch every firework parade they can catch in the future and they’ll ignore the glances as they kiss under it. Because Jisoo’s birthday is next week and he has plans out already.

 

Jisoo’s father was considerate enough to leave them alone, and with every step Seungcheol takes to approach Jisoo, he takes a step back, every step small and careful. Maybe Jisoo isn’t exactly ready yet. But Seungcheol is selfish, sometimes, and he just isn’t patient enough to wait till Jisoo walks into the pillar he didn’t see. 

 

He sprints and gives Jisoo the tightest hug he remembers giving anyone before Jisoo could take another step back.

 

Beyond all the sniffles and tears, he whispers  _ let’s go home. _ And Jisoo nods, texts his father and drags his luggage  _ home _ .

 

-

 

Just that, there wasn’t any home, afterall, they graduated and the room passed on to the next batch. But there was still the bench from their childhood they hid under once when they were in trouble and this time they sat there, watching as the people walk by, Jisoo snuggling against him and Seungcheol thinks it’s an achievement he sat so silent for hours without feeling aches of any form. 

 

Jisoo wraps his red scarf around Seungcheol later at night, where it wasn’t exactly chilly yet but it was getting cold. His hands slowly ghosting over Seungcheol’s and they stared up to watch the dark clouds and the constellations that formed. 

 

“I really missed your burnt breakfast, you know?” Jisoo breaks the silence. 

 

“Didn’t you hate them? Always going on about dirtying your kitchen then.” Seungcheol retaliates, looking down at the smaller boy, their eyes met and Seungcheol swore the constellations he remembers stayed, “some things do change, don’t they?” 

 

Like Seungcheol’s habit of shaking his leg while studying, like how he learned how to be frugal with his savings, like how he learned to appreciate Jisoo for the things he nag him for. 

 

But some things doesn’t.

 

Jisoo is still as hopelessly attentive to Seungcheol’s words that he kept his eyes on him on every word he says. And when Seungcheol doesn’t speak, Jisoo diverts almost the entirety of his attention to the view ahead, and Seungcheol still sneaks a peck up his cheek at that very moment, just like he did when they were five. 

 

And Jisoo returns it, just like he did when they were five. 

 

And Seungcheol thinks about the future, maybe Jisoo stays as he does now in his arms, maybe he doesn’t and leaves for the third time. Maybe they just were never meant to be, maybe they are. 

 

But maybe he’s been looking too far that he forgets the moment, that he’s been overlooking things and pinning things to high for himself and Jisoo. Perhaps he should stop thinking about all these things and leave it for those deep post movie talks they both have. Perhaps it’s better to learn how to love the scent of those herbal shampoos Jisoo uses even though he’s used to the fruity ones.

 

The younger falls asleep, heads sliding down his shoulder onto his chest and Seungcheol drags his luggage while piggybacking him home. And he resolutes

 

Love comes and goes, but it does stay too, just as it may or may not return. And for every chance he’s willing to give anyone as a fresh start, he foresees himself giving it to the boy who lives next door, he’ll put aside every screaming for the next fireworks, every anger for the next birthday and every tear for the next hospital visit. 

 

He will.

**Author's Note:**

> This was completed before my majors begun, I just didn't have the courage to upload it. I proofread it once, but wasn't really tracking on the grammar, more so for the plot. Sorry if it did not do the appropriate justice to the poem, I just couldn't get it off my mind since my school had it performed twice and I keep going back to watch videos of it. And I love pledis girlz please support pledis girlz.


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